


Catch Your Breath (Breathe Me In)

by RedShirtWriter34567



Category: Camping (TV 2018), Dead Long Enough (2006)
Genre: Allergies, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asthma, Boyfriends, Chronic Illness, Hiking, Hospitals, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Insecurity, Light Angst, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Recovery, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:35:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedShirtWriter34567/pseuds/RedShirtWriter34567
Summary: Harry and Walt go hiking when they find themselves in a scary situation.
Relationships: Harry Jones/Walt Jodell
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	Catch Your Breath (Breathe Me In)

Walt splashed water onto his face and rubbed his eyes with a sigh. He used a soft white towel hanging next to the sink to dry his face and put his glasses back on. His allergies had begun flaring up again. His nose felt congested and his eyes itched. Usually they flared up in the spring and summer, but the weather in Wales seemed to have a mind of its own. One day it could be cloudy and raining buckets but the next it could be clear and sunny like rain had never happened. Lately the weather had been bright and beautiful, causing the pollen count in the air to be higher than usual. Walt sniffed a little and shook his head, not wanting to let this interfere with his and Harry’s plans.

He left the bathroom and grabbed his backpack from the floor next to the door, mentally listing the things he’d packed as he descended the stairs. Harry was waiting for him by the front door, a backpack of his own over his shoulder. He wore dark blue jeans and boots and a denim shirt, his long hair falling to his shoulders, his usual black hat in place. He was texting on his phone and looked up when Walt reached the bottom of the stairs. The actor smiled and slipped his phone into his pocket.

“There you are,” he said. “Ready to head out, love?”

“Yeah,” Walt replied. “I’ve got everything I think we’ll need. Do you have everything you need?”

“Yes,” Harry said. He tilted his head when Walt rubbed his nose irritably. “Are you sure you’re okay, Cariad? You’ve been sniffling and sneezing a lot lately.”

“I’ll be fine,” Walt answered dismissively. “It’s just my allergies but I’ve taken my meds so I should be fine by the time we get to the trail.”

Harry looked doubtful. “Are you sure?”

Walt nodded confidently. Harry picked up his keys and they left the house once Harry locked the door. They got into his car and started driving away from the city, heading to a local camping and hiking spot in a nearby forest called ‘Coedwig o Gerring’ or ‘Forest of Stone,’ in English. Harry wanted to take part in Walt’s interest in the outdoors and had suggested a hiking trip a few days ago out of the blue. Walt had agreed, mostly because he was eager to explore a Welsh forest. That was why he was determined not to let his allergies get in the way.

The drive took about twenty five minutes. Walt and Harry talked the whole way, a useful distraction for the tickle in Walt’s throat he kept trying to clear away. They reached a parking lot near the entrance to the forest and Harry parked the car into a spot closest to the towering entrance gates, which were wide open. There were a few other people entering the forest as well, with backpacks and camping gear. Walt and Harry exited their car and Harry locked it before tucking his keys away into his jeans.

“The trail cuts right through the heart of the forest,” he explained as they started walking. “We should reach the lookout as long as we stick to it, but there’s other more scenic routes we could take if you like.”

“I don’t mind scenic routes,” Walt replied with a smile, taking Harry’s hand in his. “As long as I’m with you, I know I won’t get lost either.”

Harry grinned and kissed Walt soundly on the lips. They entered the forest and Harry led them toward a narrow path that snaked through the towering trees. It was quiet and cool, a light breeze blowing the foliage around. Walt could hear birds chirping overhead and the skittering sounds of animals in the brush. He watched in amazement as a red fox darted into view briefly before vanishing with a flick of its furry, white-tipped tail. 

“Foxes,” Harry said. “About as common in England as air or rain.”

“I like them,” Walt commented. “They remind me of you.”

“Why?” Harry asked.

“Because you’re foxy,” Walt teased. “Mischievous. You’ve always got a twinkle in your eye and the hint of a smirk on your lips.” 

Harry laughed and shook his head, pulling Walt closer to his side, kissing his hair. Walt laughed as well but choked suddenly on a cough. Harry frowned and took a water bottle from the side pocket of his backpack, handing it to his lover. Walt took it and drank a few swallows, wiping his lips with a sigh.

“Thanks,” he said, handing the bottle back to Harry. He cleared his throat. “Just had a tickle, been building for a while.”

“Walt, if your allergies are bad, maybe we shouldn’t be out here,” Harry said, taking the water back. 

“I’ll be fine,” Walt reassured his lover. “I promise. My meds just haven’t kicked in yet, that’s all.”

Harry’s eyes were dark with worry but he didn’t say anything more as he slipped the water bottle pack into his backpack again. They continued walking, holding hands as they observed the nature around them. In addition to the fox, Walt also saw a family of hedgehogs burrowing beneath a tree, a badger drinking from a rushing stream, and a doe with a young fawn, grazing in a small clearing. They ran away when Walt and Harry came into view, gracefully disappearing deeper into the woods.

After about fifteen minutes, they reached an open rest area, though nobody was around. There were a few wooden picnic tables and benches situated around an unlit fire pit. Walt set his backpack down on one of the benches and sat down, breathing deeply. Or trying to. For some reason his chest was beginning to feel tight, pain rippling through his back and chest when he tried to inhale. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, rubbing his neck. Harry sat down next to him and took his hand.

“Walt, I think we should start heading back,” he said. “You don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine, Harry, I promise,” Walt replied irritably. “Maybe I’m just getting a cold or something.”

In his heart, though, Walt knew that wasn’t right. He’d felt this feeling in his chest before, though he couldn’t remember when or why. Was he getting sick, but just slowly? His allergies did have a tendency to make him feel ill, sometimes for days at a time. 

“I’ll be fine, love,” Walt said finally, stroking Harry’s face. “Didn’t you say the view from the lookout is supposed to be amazing?”

“Yeah,” Harry replied. “I just don’t want you to push yourself.”

Walt kissed him. “I’ll be okay. Come on, let’s get going.”

Harry smiled and they stood up together, grabbing their backpacks and resuming their hike. However, as they reached the next path, Walt started lagging behind Harry. He felt like his chest was being crushed by cinder blocks, or like a belt was being tied around his chest. He stopped walking and set his backpack on the ground, trying to catch his breath but failing. It was like his lungs were refusing to expand, his chest muscles tighter than a vise. He could hear Harry saying something over the pounding of his heart in his ears.

“Ben and I used to play football together in our yard,” Harry was saying. “Our dad used to be our ref while I mum cheered us on from the kitchen window. Did your son ever play any sports-”

Harry stopped as he turned around and realized Walt wasn’t near him. Walt was now crumpled on his knees a few feet down the path, wheezing and coughing. He heard Harry yelling his name before his lover appeared in front of him, dumping his backpack onto the ground and kneeling in front of Walt, looking into his face.

“Walt, what’s wrong?” Harry asked. “Can you hear me? Can you speak?”

Walt wheezed as he tried to answer, terrified as he now realized what was happening. 

“I-I can’t breathe,” he gasped. “Chest, h-hurts, can’t-can’t catch breath.” He coughed raggedly. “Asthma.”

Harry’s eyes widened with panic and fear. “You’re having an asthma attack?”

Walt nodded, continuing to wheeze. His chest felt like a giant was crushing it. Harry tilted his face up.

“Do you have an inhaler?” Harry asked.

Walt shook his head slowly. His lungs felt like they were full of cotton. Harry grabbed his cellphone from his pocket and tried to call for help, only to curse in Welsh.

“No service,” he muttered. “Bloody kidding me.”

Walt could feel how hard his heart was beating as he tried to breathe. His vision was getting foggy, his wheezing growling labored. Harry looked around desperately and spotted a group of people walking among the tree line.

“Hey!” he shouted at them. “Over here, please, we need help!”

The group stopped and jogged toward them. A young women dressed in a flowered skirt and a white blouse knelt beside Walt, touching his shoulder.

“Sir, I’m a doctor,” she said. “Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

“He said he’s having an asthma attack,” Harry explained quickly. “He doesn’t have an inhaler.”

The woman nodded. Walt wheezed and clutched his chest. The woman squeezed his shoulder.

“Sir, just try to stay calm and stretch your back,” she instructed. “That might help you breathe better until help gets here.”

Walt obeyed but it didn’t help. One of the other members of the group quickly pulled out a cellphone and was able to get a signal. They called for help quickly while the woman tended to Walt, patting his back gently but firmly. Harry felt helpless as he watched, wringing his hands anxiously. Finally, just when Walt’s lips were starting to turn blue, two workers that helped maintain the forest showed up with two paramedics pushing a gurney. 

Walt was quickly loaded up onto it and was hooked up to an oxygen tank. One paramedic held a clear plastic mask over Walt’s nose and mouth, encouraging him to breathe slowly and deeply. Harry grabbed their backpacks and followed the paramedics down the path until they reached the forest’s exit, where an ambulance had been parked haphazardly by the gates. The paramedics loaded Walt into it and Harry got inside as well. Walt’s breathing had improved a little but was still wheezing, his fingernails now blue-tinged like his lips.

Harry reached over and took his hand, squeezing it. Walt squeezed back hard, his eyes wide and frightened. 

“It’s going to be okay, Cariad,” Harry said, trying to soothe his lover without showing how scared he actually was.

The sirens of the ambulance screamed as they raced back into the city, eventually coming to a stop outside St. Paul Arthur Hospital in the heart of Cardiff. Harry followed closely as the paramedics brought Walt inside, flagging down a few nearby nurses and a doctor.

“Asthma attack,” one of the medics said. “Wheezing, fast heart rate, lips and fingernails still blue despite oxygen therapy.”

They brought Walt into a bay and Harry tried to go after them, but a nurse stopped him.

“He’s my boyfriend, please,” Harry pleaded. 

“Your boyfriend will be fine, sir,” the nurse told him. “Let them help him.”

Harry watched as they lifted Walt off the gurney and onto a bed, hooking him up to a monitor that showed how fast his heart was, his pulse and blood pressure. They removed the oxygen mask and it was quickly replaced by something else. It looked like some sort of tank with a mask similar to what Walt had just had on. A nurse secured it against his face and flipped the device on. It started making an odd noise, like a whirring,

“What is that?” Harry asked. “What are they doing to him?”

“It’s called a nebulizer,” the nurse explained. “It can change medication from a liquid to a mist. It helps asthma sufferers because it goes to their lungs and opens up their airway.”

She let Harry go to Walt and the actor rushed over, taking his lover’s hand again. Walt breathing slowly and deeply, inhaling the mist Harry could faintly see traveling through a plastic tube connected to the mask. After ten minutes, Walt’s breathing finally evened out and he stopped wheezing. His heart slowed and color returned to his lips and nails. He continued to use the nebulizer until a doctor came to speak with them.

“How are you feeling, Mr…?” He inquired.

“Walt Jodell,” Walt replied. “I feel like a car ran over my chest and it still hurts to breathe.

“You suffered a very severe asthma attack,” the doctor said. “Though it could have been much worse. Have you had attacks like this before?”

Harry was curious about that too and he looked at Walt questioningly. His lover sighed and rubbed his neck.

“It was really bad when I was a kid,” he explained. “I used to have them so frequently I had a nebulizer in my house and had to carry around an inhaler everywhere I went. I thought I’d grown out of it since the last time it happened I was only seventeen.”

“Unfortunately asthma never truly goes away,” the doctor said. “Some people can go a long time without having a severe attack, unless they encounter a trigger for their asthma, like allergens or stressful situations.”

Walt sighed and winced as he rubbed his chest. “My allergies had been flaring up again lately. I didn’t realize I was having an asthma attack until I couldn’t catch my breath and started wheezing.”

“What happens now?” Harry asked aloud.

“Now that Walt’s breathing is normal we can send him home,” the doctor explained. “But I’ll be writing you a prescription for an inhaler and I recommend you buy a nebulizer for your home. The severity of this attack has left your lungs still weak and they need time to recover. Use the nebulizer twice a day, in the morning and evening before you go to bed. Avoid strenuous activity for the next few days and then you should be fine.”

“Thanks, doc,” Walt said.

The doctor nodded and walked off. Walt wrung his hands in his lap, avoiding Harry’s gaze. The actor had so many questions but didn’t want to push his lover after what had happened. An hour later they were driving home after stopping at a local medical supply store and picking up a nebulizer. Walt also held a bag that contained his new inhaler and a few refills. Harry helped him out of the car and into the house. Walt hadn’t said a word since they’d left the hospital. Harry thought he knew why.

Over the next few days, Harry doted on Walt and stayed close by or at least within ear shot. He brought Walt food and water when he needed it, made sure his inhaler was in close range and sat with him while he used the nebulizer every morning and night. Some nights though, Walt still had trouble breathing and Harry would hold him gently, stroking his hair and his back, encouraging his lover to breathe deeply and use his inhaler. Walt had never seen Harry so protective before.

On Saturday, when Walt had finished with the nebulizer and took the mask off, he noticed a troubled look on Harry’s face. His eyes were dark and pensive, lines of worry around them and his lips. Walt arched an eyebrow.

“Is everything okay, Harry?” he asked. “You look upset about something.”

“I’m fine, Cariad,” Harry replied. “It’s just that…” He bit his lip. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you had asthma?”

Walt sighed. He’d known that was coming. He ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed his chest.

“I guess I didn’t think it was relevant,” he said. “I haven’t had bad asthma or attacks in years. Not until the hike, anyway. I thought maybe I’d grown out of it.” He licked his lips. “And I think I was afraid that you would see me differently.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asked, confused.

“So many people just saw me as a sick little kid, even when I started getting older,” Walt explained. “My mom used to try and prevent me from playing sports or doing anything strenuous. She was always worried I’d have another attack and end up in the hospital again. Kids used to make fun of me for having an inhaler so I tried to hide it or not bring it with me to school. When it finally stopped being so bad I didn’t think I had to mention it anymore.” He licked his lips. “And when I met you, I didn’t want you to think I was weak or start treating me differently because of it.”

Harry was silent for a long time. The past few days he couldn’t stop thinking about how helpless he’d felt, watching Walt struggle to breathe, his lips blue, his eyes wide and fearful as he wheezed and clutched his chest. Harry shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside. Walt picked at his fingernails and looked at the ground. 

“I love you, Walt,” Harry said. “I think I understand why you never told me, but you should have. I felt so scared because I didn’t know how to help you.” He swallowed. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

Walt snapped his eyes from the floor and met Harry’s. He cupped his lover’s face in his hands and stroked his jaw.

“I’m sorry, Harry,” Walt said. “I didn’t mean to put you in that position.” He pressed their foreheads together. “You’ll never lose me, Harry, I promise. I love you.”

“I love you too, Cariad,” Harry replied. “And while I promise I won’t treat you differently because of this, I do plan on doting on you if this happens again.”

“Deal,” Walt said with a smile. He kissed Harry on the lips. “I love you, Harry.”

“I love you more, Cariad,” Harry said in Welsh, then in English. “Always. I’ll always be around to help you catch your breath.”


End file.
